This research guide introduces selected academic publications in the field of medieval studies. Use the menu on the left to navigate and feel free to contact me if you have questions. Use the book now button on the right to schedule a meeting with me.

Encyclopedias, Companions & Handbooks

The Library has a large collection of subject-specific encyclopedias, handbooks, and companions with exhaustive and well-researched articles written by subject experts. These essays are great introductions to the historiography of a topic and helpful in defining and focusing it. Look out for recommended secondary and primary sources.

Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of the Global Middle Ages
Features regional and thematic overviews and selected case studies from a global perspective. New content is continuously added.

A Companion to the Medieval World
Covers the major issues in the study of Medieval Europe.

A Companion to the Global Early Middle Ages
Introduces the connections between early medieval societies that have previously been studied in isolation.

Oxford Handbooks Online (Oxford University Press)
Each handbook introduces and surveys the state of scholarship in a field of study through review articles written by leading subject specialists.

Encyclopaedia Judaica
Provides an exhaustive and organized overview of all aspects of Jewish life from the Second Temple period to the contemporary State of Israel.

Oxford Islamic Studies Online (Oxford University Press)
Features short introductions, scholarly essays, Qur'anic materials (two classic translations/interpretations and a concordance), primary sources, images, and maps. Covers global Islamic history, peoples, practices, politics, and culture.

Encyclopedia of Jewish History and Culture Online (Brill)

Daily Life in Medieval Europe

Medieval England: An Encyclopedia

Medieval Iberia: An Encyclopedia

Medieval Islamic Civilization: An Encyclopedia

Medieval Jewish Civilization: An Encyclopedia

Medieval Science, Technology, and Medicine: An Encyclopedia

Books & Book Chapters

Much of the scholarly literature in the field is published in books which are often referred to as monographs. Find books in the Library’s collection with a Books & Media search. Start with keywords that describe your topic and use the hyperlinked subjects in the book records to reduce and focus search results. Notice facets such as topic and language which will further narrow results. Subject searches can significantly increase or decrease the number of results. For a more comprehensive review of the literature consult WorldCat and use the integrated Borrow from other libraries feature to request books which are not locally available.

Medieval Studies (Oxford Bibliographies)
Offers outstanding introductions to a wide variety of topics in medieval studies with an emphasis on Western civilization. Each bibliographic essay begins with a general overview and a list of reference works, followed by a historiography and a list of critical journals in the field. Essays may also include a list of recommended primary sources in the original languages and in translation.

Falvey Library Catalog (Books & Media)
Keyword and subject searches in the Library catalog are good starting points. Search results can be narrowed with facets such as topic, era, language or region. Facets are located on the right hand side of the results screen.

Cambridge Histories Online (Cambridge University Press)
Provides online access to the well-regarded Cambridge Histories series. Includes the New Cambridge Medieval History (7 volumes) together with a range of other histories that include volumes focusing on the Middle Ages. Examples include volume 6 of The Cambridge History of Judaism (The Middle Ages), volume 2 of The New Cambridge History of Islam (The Western Islamic World, 11th to 18th Centuries), and volume 5 of The Cambridge World History (Expanding Webs of Exchange and Conflict, 500 CE - 1500 CE).

Bloomsbury Medieval Studies (Bloomsbury)
Presents a selection of interdisciplinary medieval studies resources including the Encyclopedia of the Global Middle Ages, access to over 150 monographs from reputed publishers in the field of medieval studies, a selection of study resources curated by major scholars, and a selection of visual sources.

Manchester Medieval Sources (Manchester University Press)
Offers access to a growing collection of translations of key primary sources. Series editors are Rosemary Horrox and Simon MacLean. Most volumes are also available in print.

JSTOR (ITHAKA)
Provides a full text archive of academic journals and books.

WorldCat (FirstSearch)
Presents a combined catalog of the catalogs of more than 10,000 libraries worldwide. WorldCat highlights publications available at Villanova University. Other items can be requested via an inter-library loan request form.

Academic Journals

The Library subscribes to a range of medieval studies journals including The Journal of Medieval History, Speculum, Traditio, Viator, and Medieval Encounters. Use the Journal & Article Finder or the Articles & more search options on the Library’s website to look up known references. Request articles from journals that are not part of the Library's collections through interlibrary loan. The journal databases listed here index the contents of most if not all medieval studies journals and are by far the best tools to discover articles published in these journals.

International Medieval Bibliography (Brepols)
Indexes and abstracts articles, book reviews, and book chapters. Covers all aspects of medieval studies within the date range of 400 to 1500 for the entire continent of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

Regesta Imperii: Literature Database for the Middle Ages (Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur Mainz)
Features a freely available and comprehensive bibliography of medieval research. Captures journal articles, essays, monographs, and conference proceedings.

Iter Bibliography (University of Toronto)
Indexes academic journals, books, book chapters, book reviews, and dissertations pertaining to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Covers the years 400 to 1700. Includes publications in the major European languages from the middle of the 19th century to the present.

PubMed  Tutorial
Offers indexing of journal articles and books in all areas of biomedicine. Worldwide coverage with an emphasis on English-language peer-reviewed journals.

Articles & More Search
If all else fails give Articles & more a try. Use unambiguous keywords and limit results to articles from peer-reviewed journals.

Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index
Indexes and selectively abstracts journal articles, book reviews, and book chapters about women, sexuality, and gender during the Middle Ages.

RAMBI: The Index of Articles on Jewish Studies (National Library of Israel)
Indexes journal and magazine articles in various fields of Jewish studies. Covers articles in English, Hebrew, Yiddish, and the major European languages.

Selected Primary Sources

Expand Primary & Secondary Sources on Selected Topics to review a list of locally available primary and secondary sources on specific topics.

  Primary and Secondary Sources on Selected Topics

Citation Management

Chicago Manual of Style Online
The 17th edition of the Manual is the most current. The online version includes a Citation Quick Guide with examples. The Library's website offers a short introduction and overview to the Notes and Bibliography System commonly used in the humanities.